Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 44838, Nathaniel Foster, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER
New York
Foster, Nathaniel
S. 44838
CONTENTS

New York
19, 173
Nathaniel Foster
of Saratoga Co. in the state of New York - who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Van Eycke - of the regiment commanded Colonel Van Brissland in the New York for the term of 9 months -
listed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence the 12 th of July 1823.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 nd of Jan y 1824 and sent to Genl. J. W. Brady, A. R.
  Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1823.  $ 14 22    Semi anl. all'ce ending 4 Mar. 1824.  48 00    1 mo: $ 20/31 30  $ 62 22  
{ Revolutionary claim Acts March 18, 1818 and May 1, 1820.
# 1824
4 th March 1824
Read. See letter 12 Mar, 1835 to P. 25 th do. to same August 24. 1835 Letter to Josiah Chapin, 27 Aug 1845 do. to W. A. D. Chapin Oct. 31. 1846. do to J. J. Sutherland Feb 16 '47 do to Mrs. A. D. Chapin Mar 23 '47

(N o 1. - declaration)
I Nathaniel Foster of the town of Edinburgh in the County of Saratoga, in the State of New York, Do according to the act of Congress of the United States of America, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and Naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war" make the following declaration under oath, that is to say I do solemnly declare, that I am a resident citizen of the United States to wit in the town County and State aforesaid and that by means of my reduced circumstances in life, I am in need of assistance from my country for support. I do further declare that I was a soldier in the war of the Revolution and that I served as such in the said war of the revolution against the common enemy, that I enlisted on the fifth day of May 1778, for nine months and served until the sixteenth day of May 1779. That I belonged to the company commanded by Captain Ten Eye in Colonel Courtlands regiment and in the line of New York. And I do further declare, that I entered the said service the fifth day of May one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight, and left the said service on the sixteenth day of May one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine having left the same by reason of being discharged after the expiration of his term of service, that I am seventy eight years of age, that I have a wife of the age of sixty eight years infirm and helpless myself a labourer, And I do further declare, that I hereby relinquish all claim to any and every pension heretofore allowed me by the laws

of the United States, or of any individual State. Witness my hand this 23 rd day of August in the year one thous- and eight hundred and twenty three,
Nathaniel Foster"
Sworn to in open Court before me this 28 th August 1823
Thomas Palmer Clerk
I, Thomas Palmer Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Saratoga do hereby certify that the foregoing affidavit and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said Court, and I do fur- ther certify that it is the opinion of the said Court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is forty three dollars and Seventy Five cents.
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and the Seal of said Court this 29 th day of September 1823.
Thomas Palmer Clerk
"Inventory of the estate of Nathaniel Foster within named - He has no real estate -
Personal Estate he has -
1 Cow. $15. 1 Bed & Bedding $10. 1 axe $1. $29.00 1 hatchet 50 cts 5 Chains at 50 cts 1 Bittner's saw 25 cts 2.75 Other house hold furniture worth about $8.00 Drawing knife & tools about 4.00 $43.75
Sworn to in open Court this 28 th August 1823. Nathaniel Foster" Thomas Palmer Clerk"

State of New York James Reynolds of the town Ely County ss) Clerk of the County of State of New York being Duke Sworn on the Holy Evangelist Depose and saith that Nathaniel Foster was a Soldier in Philip Van Cortland Regiment in Capt. James Foster's Company in the Poughkeepsie war in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight the exact time of which I do not know this Deponent doth not exactly know but this Deponent doth know that he did serve under the said Foster ten months and when this Deponent was discharged he left the said Foster in the Service he this Deponent doth know that the said Foster did serve with him the aforesaid term of ten months that the said Foster and this Deponent were messmates grudgingly to gether this Deponent doth know that some time after he returned home the said Foster came home but cannot remember the exact time - and further that the place of residence at the time of their enlistment was in the Great Bend area in Dutchess County and State of New York and that they were Neighbours residing near each other both before and after their service and also while Soldiers as aforesaid they were in the both of months to gether - and further this Deponent saith not Sworn and Subscribed before me the first day of May 1823
James Reynolds
The foregoing is one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Ely -

State of New York Essex County ss.
I Ashley Pond Clerk of the County of Essex of the Court of Common Pleas of said County Certify that Thomas Stower Esquire whose name appears subscribed to the first of the within affidavit was at on the first day of May within mentioned one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County aforesaid & also that I am acquainted with the handwriting of the said Thomas Stower & verily believe that his name so subscribed as aforesaid is in his own proper handwriting. In Testimony Whereof I hereto subscribe my name & affix the Seal of said County & Court at Elizabethton this 1st day of May 1823.
Ashley Pond Clerk

Washington, Feb. 16, 1847
Hon. S. L. Edwards,
Comm. r of Pensions.
Sir; My Mother's Father, Nathaniel Foster, late of the County of Saratoga in the State of New York, as I have been informed, served during the Revolutionary War as a soldier; and as I have also been informed, was placed upon the Pension List as such soldier.
Will you inform if such a person was heretofore on the Pension List, and of what grade he drew a pension.
Very Respectfully,
Your obedient Servant,
H. S. Sutherland.

Dear W.S.
A. D. Chapin sug. about pension & land due for husband's services.
Ag 26. Ac 128/46
Pension Office
Oct. 30. 1846
M rs Gada.

To His Excellency President James K. Polk
Washington
Dec. 11 1845
DC
St

To his Excellency James R. Polk President of the United States Honorable Sir
Pardon my Dear Sir, my thus intruding myself upon your notice, but I wrote to the secretary of the war department requesting information concerning my Father's Pension for he was in his lifetime a pensioner having served in the war of the revolution, and as he never drew any back pay I thought that there might be something done about it as there was a man in York state who pretended that he was appointed by congress to attend to such business and had written to my sister to that effect, and as I had assisted my Father to obtain his pension in the first place and had taken care of the old gentleman ever after he drew his pension, my sister wrote to me informing me of this man and desiring me to send on Father's certificate and other papers, but as I had instructions from Washington how to proceed I had sent on his certificate to the Pension Office, and I therefore concluded that man must be an impostor as he know where the paper was. Well I wrote to the secretary of war asking him about the affair, and also if there were agents appointed to attend to such business and their names and place of residence, and also about the land which the old soldiers should have had as my Father being one of the first men in the state of New York who took up arms in defence of his oppressed country, yet he had never received any land nor had he ever sold or forfeited it in any other way, if there is anything of the kind we his heirs should be very glad to know, Now I wrote as above stated, but the secretary said nothing about the agents or the land so that I am as much in the dark as ever and indeed I know not what to do, but thinking perhaps like the immortal Washington whose place you fill, that you might feel an interest in the fate of those who periled their lives in winning for their descendants the freedom and happiness which we greatly enjoy and your honored Sir no less than me, I have addressed this to you in hopes that you would write and tell me all about the affair. Now if you will take the trouble direct to Joel Chapin Town of Ridgely, Bradford County, state of Pennsylvania Ridgely Post Office
If you will assist us kind Sir we shall pray that you and yours may long enjoy health and happiness here and may hereafter have an entrance ministered unto you among the saints in light.
I am dear Sir
your most humble servant towards
N.B. My Father's name was Nathaniel Foster
Ridgely Pa. Oct 10th 1846
Adeline D. Chapin

27 Aug 1846
Bridgeburg Pa Aug 19 th 46
Adeline D. Chapin, Is she entitled to any- thing on account of her father's services in New York
C 289. See Aug 26 th /46
Phila Office

Hon William L. Marcy Secretary of War Washington Ridgebury Pa. Aug. 21.
56

To William L. Marcy Secretary of War
Honored Sir
I am about to address you on a subject that nearly concerns me. My Father was a soldier of the revolution and drew a pension the ten last years of his life. He died the 7 of January 1835 and I was his youngest child I took care of him until his death my Mother having been some time. Now I am told that there has been a law passed in Congress by which the children of such Pensioners receive a certain sum of Money - and as I do not know what measures I must take to obtain it, knowing you to be secretary of the war department I could think of no better way than to address a letter to you which will account for my presumption in thus troubling you, and I earnestly entreat you to assist me if you can. A certain kind of mine wrote to Congress soon after Father's death and obtained an instruction for me how to proceed I was to forward Father's Certificate to Washington which I did and if you will take the trouble to look of even the certificates of that year you find his. His name was Nathanael Foster of the state of New York it will also tell all that it is necessary for you to know for by it you will see that he drew no back pay. Now I also wish to know if there is Agents appointed by Congress to attend to such things and if so their names and residence. Now there is one thing more which is about the soldiers bounty land as I understand there is something done about that Father never received any land neither did he sell or alienate his bounty land so that his children have an honest right to the gratitude of their country. Now Sir if you will assist us direct your letter to Ridgebury Bradford County Pennsylvania to Joel Chaplin
I am
Dear Sir
your humble servant
Ridgebury August 12th 1876
Adeline D Chaplin
N B The reason of my not writing sooner was because of the obscurities in my hands which will in some measure account for my poor writing

Ridgebury Feb 22 '47
Adeline D. Chapman Asks attention to her business.
6. 56 Rev. Feb 27/47
Pension office
at my pa pa
letter from her Aug 27 1846 ref. S. Walter Foster ch to forum
Chapman all
pa Aug 27 46 w/ S. Walter Foster

Mr William L Marcy
Secretary of War
Washington
Ridgebury Feb 22 D C
5
William L Marcy

Mr William L May
Honored Sir
Pardon my intruding myself upon your notice again, but as I wrote to Mr Edwards upon the subject that I wrote to you about, and he not answering me, I thought perhaps I had made a mistake, but as he answered my letter I thought there was no need of so much circumlocution, but I would write to him at once, supposing he would bring it to your notice at once. But I hear nothing from you or him. Mr May were you not appointed by government to attend to such business? Is it because I am poor and have none to go forward in this business, that you neglect me. My poor old Father had prayers a fellow of earth and I rejoice that it is so, for had he lived to feel himself neglected by the generation for whom he sacrificed life and fortune he would doubtless have realized what has been often said that republics were ungrateful. But as it was he died rejoicing in his country's happiness, little thinking that the time would come, when his children should ask a remuneration for his services and be answered that he did not serve but 9 months for which he received his pension. Altogether a mistake for he enlisted for a year and staid 13 months for which he should have had land, but as the country needed all of her land to discharge the national debt, her brave dependents might cultivate what they had before the war, for few or none were able to buy any with anything they received for their services to their country. In my younger days I knew several who like my Father had served their country and received a pension which was not one half the sum that the government owed them, but they received it thankfully knowing their country's necessities. But as the Nation becomes more prosperous, many who are who are actuated by the same republican spirit of the men who first spurned the yoke of a foreign despot, wish to come forward and recompense the children (as far as may be) for what their Fathers have done. Noble emulation of the glorious spirit of the immortal Washington. — — — — My Father served between 4 and 5 years in defence of his country on land and water. I have asked this is the 4 th time if there were agents employed by the nation to attend to such business and if so what are their names and place of residence.
Mr May if you are a man of honor and a descendant of the race of heroes please give this your candid attention for which no doubt you will receive an adequate reward.
I am with deep
respect yours
Sidgely 8 Feb - 1847
Adeline D. Chaplin

Offic Bank U States. New York August 19. 1805
Sir
The enclosed papers in the case of Nathl Foster were presented at this Office some time ago, but owing to informality, the payment was not made, and the Power of Attorney is now over 90 days date; You will please notice also that three of the Heirs are said to be in parts unknown.
I am very respectfully Your Affec Son.
Mobin for J Lawrence Pres
Coll Edwards Esq. Commr of Pensions

44838
Rev
INVALID.
File No. 44838
Nathaniel Foster
• Pri. Rev. War.
Act: 18 th March 1818
& 1 st May 1820.
Index:—Vol. 3, Page 175
[Arrangement of 1870.]

19,009.
Nathaniel Foster -
- Copy Application - Saratoga Co. N.Y.
Alexander St. John Northampton, N.Y.
Recd 21 Nov: 1823
Endorsed.
"Filed 28 August 1823"
M c Cady H. R. Alexander St. John Northampton, N.Y.

State of New York, James Reynolds of the Town of Williston Essex County ss to all in the county of Essex and state of New York to me known to be a man
that sustains a good Character as to truth and veracity 2 being duly sworn deposeth and saith that Nathaniel Foster enlisted in the army of the united States in the war of the revolution on or about the first of may in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight for the term of nine months in the company com- -manded by Capt Ten Eycke in Colonel Courtlands Regiment in the New York line and that this deponent served with the said Foster upwards of nine months when he hired a substitute and obtained his Discharge leaving the said Foster in the army - That this deponent was in the service at the same time and generly a messmate with the said Foster that he lived a neighbour to the said Foster in the nine Partners in the county of Dutchess both before and after the said service - and further saith not
James Reynolds
Sworn & subscribed this 10 th day of November 1823 before me H. Hower Justice of the Peace of the County of Essex

10 of New York Dutchess County ss
Personally appeared Ceaser Dimmore of the County aforesaid and being duly sworn deposeth and saith that Nathaniel Foster of the then town of America in the County aforesaid now of the town of Edinburgh in the County of Saratoga enlisted in the Continental Service in the war of the revolution for the term of nine months in the Company Commanded by Capt Ten Eycke in Coln Courtlands Regiment on the New York Line that he enlisted the fifth day of May 1778 and served until the sixteenth day of July  the term of nine months was then  the term of nine months was then the term of enlistment — that the said Nathaniel Foster was a Neighbour of mine both before and after this Service and that I this deponent served the same time in the same Brigade with the said Nathaniel Foster and further saith not his Ceasar Dimmore mark
Subscribed and sworn before me and I also certify that the aforesaid Ceaser Dimmore sustains a good character as to truth and veracity
Leonard Barton one of the Commissioners for the taking of affidavits re - in and for said County — dated July the 12th day in the year of our Lord 1823

State of New York } Dutchess County ss: }
I Jacob Van Nels Clerk of the County of the County of Dutchess and Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Dutchess County do hereby certify that Leonard Barton before whom the within Deposition was taken, was on the day when the said deposition was made a Commissioner for said County duly Commissioned and Sworn, and duly Authorized by the Laws of Said State to take affidavits, proofs and acknowledgments of Deeds and other instruments in writing. And that I am acquainted with the handwriting of the said Commissioner and verily believe the signature "Leonard Barton" subscribed to the said deposition, is the proper handwriting of the said Leonard Barton - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Affixed the seal of said Court this twenty ninth day of July One thousand Eight hundred and twenty three -
Jacob Van Nels